SACRAMENTO (Interstat) — Toledo built a 10-point fourth-quarter lead and held off a late Sacramento State touchdown to beat the Hornets 20-17 on Wednesday in an NCAA Football Championship Division game at Hornet Stadium. Attendance was 7,928. Toledo improved to 7-2, while Sacramento State fell to 2-8. The Rockets won as the visiting team in a game that featured seven scoring plays and a late push from the Hornets.

Toledo struck first when John Alan Richter connected with Anthony Simpson for an 18-yard touchdown, and Reice Griffith added the extra point. Sacramento State answered with Grant Meadors’ 38-yard field goal. The Hornets moved ahead in the second quarter when Jackson Sharman found Matt Coleman for a 2-yard touchdown, and Meadors kicked the extra point. Toledo tied the game on Griffith’s 34-yard field goal in the third quarter, then took the lead on A. Ison’s 19-yard touchdown run. Griffith’s extra point made it 17-10. Griffith added a 40-yard field goal in the fourth quarter to push the Rockets’ lead to 20-10. Sacramento State pulled within three on J. Curtis’ 3-yard touchdown run, and Saul Marks made the extra point, but Toledo held on. The Hornets had one final chance but could not complete the comeback. Griffith made two field goals and two extra points for Toledo.

Both teams leaned on their quarterbacks and short passing games for much of the game. Toledo’s defense came up with the game’s only interception and finished with three sacks, while Sacramento State’s defense kept the Rockets from pulling away until the fourth quarter. The Hornets’ late touchdown came with 2:20 remaining in the fourth quarter, but the Rockets recovered and ran out the clock. Toledo’s special teams delivered two field goals and two extra points, helping the Rockets protect their lead. Sacramento State moved the ball effectively between the 20-yard lines but could not convert enough chances into points.

Sharman completed 8 of 15 passes for 113 yards and one touchdown for Sacramento State. Brian Salazar Jr. completed 12 of 18 passes for 103 yards. Richter completed 9 of 17 passes for 60 yards and one touchdown for Toledo. Sharman is a 6-foot-2, 189-pound quarterback. Salazar is a 6-foot-3, 170-pound quarterback from Monrovia, Calif. Richter is a 6-foot-3, 215-pound quarterback. The Hornets split quarterback duties between Sharman and Salazar, and both moved the offense at times. Toledo’s passing game was more modest, but Richter avoided turnovers and connected on the touchdown to Simpson.

Sacramento State’s Elijah Huddle had one reception for 3 yards. Warren Smith Jr., a 6-foot-1, 185-pound defensive back, and Diego Davis, a 6-foot-0, 236-pound linebacker, each made three tackles. Donovan Turner added four, and Jamel Howard Jr., a 6-foot-2, 307-pound defensive lineman, had five. Amari Wallace made six tackles. Boogsie Silvera, a 5-foot-11, 193-pound safety, posted seven tackles and an interception, and Tim Thomas, a 6-foot-1, 221-pound linebacker, had seven tackles and a sack. Fata Puloka, a 6-foot-3, 221-pound defensive lineman, led the Hornets with eight tackles. Diesel Gordon made three tackles. Kenyon Shabazz and Jace Wilson each had one reception for 6 yards, Khai Taylor had one for 13, Onterrio Smith Jr. had two for 23, and Matt Coleman finished with five receptions for 46 yards and a touchdown. Dante Antonini made two tackles. Hamish Adams punted seven times for 290 yards. Saul Marks handled an extra point. Federico Cobarubio, Alex Rocha, Adam Taylor, Austin Chambers and Grant Meadors each made one tackle. Miles Bailey recorded a sack. Cincere Rhaney ran three times for 7 yards and caught one pass for 1 yard. Malikai Nichols, Miles Tucker, Malachi Kindle, Nick Dimitris, Brodie Tagaloa, Malik Tullis, Leki Holani and Xavier Williams also contributed on defense.

Toledo’s Nathaniel Chandler had four tackles and a sack. Israel Petite, Donovan Watkins and Tyrell Russell each made three tackles. Andrew Zock had three tackles and a sack, Kaleb Hutchinson made four, and Nicholas Thompson had five. Julian Fox added six tackles, and Isaac Zay led all defenders with 11 tackles. Zach Johnson had three tackles and a sack. Daryl Barnett Jr. had one reception for 9 yards, Jacob Newell caught five passes for 16 yards, and Bryson Hammer had two receptions for 17 yards and a 32-yard kickoff return. Anthony Simpson had one reception for 18 yards and a touchdown.

Toledo’s season has included a loss at Michigan State, wins over Central Connecticut, Temple, San Diego State, Ball State and Eastern Michigan, a loss to Buffalo and a win over Western Michigan. The Rockets’ 49-48 win over Temple was one of their closest games. Sacramento State opened with a loss at Eastern Michigan, beat Mississippi Valley State, lost at Fresno State, lost to North Dakota State, lost to Massachusetts, lost at Bowling Green, lost to Ohio, lost at Ball State and beat Kent State. The Hornets’ 52-0 win over Mississippi Valley State was their most lopsided victory. Toledo is next scheduled to host Massachusetts. Sacramento State is next scheduled to visit Central Michigan and later Hawaii.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Toledo 45, Sacramento State 13. Interstat’s ELO system gave Toledo an 83.7 percent probability to win. Toledo had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus 25. The total score of 37 went over the over/under line of 52.5.